Automatic fire extinguisher and alarm



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. E. 'BUELL.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ALARM. No. 266,579.

Patented Oct. 24, 1882. Fig.2.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-heet 2.

G. E. BUELL.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ALARM. No. 266,579. Patented 0013.24, 1882;

r rmas. Phokmmhngmphar. Washington. 0.1:

CHARLES E. BUELL, OF NElV HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ALARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,579, dated October 24, 1882.

Application filed September 22.

To all about it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E.BUELL, of the city and county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented Improvements in Automatic Fire Extinguishers and Alarms, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists primarily of the combination, with pipes arranged to distribute water through abuilding, havinga series of valves or sprinklers which will open by heat, of automatic devices for indicating the pressure of water in said pipes and for turning on a watersupply and sounding an alarm when a decrease of the pressure in the pipes occurs, substantially as hereinafter described.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a water-pipe ot' a fire-extinguisher system, of a valve covering an opening in said pipe, said valve consisting of a lead washer held to cover the exterior of said opening, and a screw, the said screw passing through a nut that is secured to a support, so as to be out of contact with said pipe, and to become detached from said support when heated, and to allow said valve to be forced from the opening by water in said pipe, the whole arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose hereinafter described.

My invention i'urth ercousistsin certain novel combinations and sub-combinations, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of a fire extinguisher and alarm system arranged according to my invention. Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 represent sprinklers and parts of the same made in accordance with my invention. Figs. 6 and 7 are views in cross-section of devices which respond. to variations of pressure in the pipes.

P represents a vertical main supply-pipe, with branch pipes P P, leading to the ceiling of each story of a building, each branch being provided with a series ot'sprinklers, K K K K, which open by heat. The main pipe 1? is provided with the cooks V and V for controlling the water-supply and emptying the system of pipes when desired, respectively. The pipes P and P are each provided with the com p ressiouc0cksVV adapted to be turned to open by their respective weights ww, and to be retained from opening by the interlocking of their parts with 1882. (N0 model.)

the armature-levers ot' the electro-magnets m m The electro magnets are included in an electric circuit, together with the indicatingand alarm apparatus, the said circuit being made operative by the action of the gages G G which indicate the pressure in the pipes and respond to a decrease of the pressure.

In Fig. 2 is shown a form of sprinkler, K, consisting of a nozzle, N, held closed by the washer, of lead or other suitable material, a, and plate 12, secured by the screw m, so as to be adjustable. The nut 0, through which the screw m passes, is secured to the top of the support, which is shown as a slitted plate, to serve in spreading the water discharged from the un'.

covered opening. The several parts above described are shown iucross-section detached from the nozzle in Fig. 3.

The preferred form of sprinkler is shown in Figs. Land 5, and consists of a plate held to cover an orifice in the pipe by the screw m, nut and support, or clamp, without the use of the nozzle N, as will be readily understood. As shown, the device for closing the outlet of the distributer may be made in two pieces, or in a single piece, as desired. I consider this form of sprinkler to possess many advantages. It is easily placed on the pipes, and is secure against leakage, while it is easily removed by heat and certain and efficient in its operation. It avoids the employment of Ts and elbows and the labor of their fitting in constructing a system. Besides, it avoids leakage about the joints, which are necessary when such fittings are required.

Fig. (3 represents a pressure-gage consisting of the piston P in a cylinder, C, provided with the stem S for connecting it to a pipe, with cock V for controlling the connection between the interior of the pipe and said cylinder. The piston-rod acts to raise the lever L, a weight or spring being used to retract it. A scale is shown at S, the indicatorj and scale-plate being adapted to control an electric circuit at any desired pressure over wires'w to, lever L, rod 1", and contact-pin inserted in the holes a a, or either of them, to come in contact with the projection j.

Fig. 7 representsacl1eck-valve of well-known construction, which may be used instead of the pressure-gages shown. A rigidly-attached lever, I,is provided with an adjustable contactscrew, adapted to come in contact with the spring-electrode s when valve V is raised from its seat. over spring 8 and lever l. v

A branch, 11, in dotted lines, can be carried around the valve (3 V and be provided with a diaphragm or easily-moved check-valve at (l V, of smaller dimensions, to take up the waterhammer.

A lever, l, with weight m, can be used to hold the valve V tightly on its seat and be withdrawn from obstructing the action of said valve after a predetermined movement of the valve. Lever lmay serve to control an electric circuit. screw (J also dotted.)

The operation of the system and parts is as follows: The valves or sprinklers-K K K K being closed, the pipes P l? are air and water tight. The cocks V V and the pressure-gages G G being opened to receive the pressure from main P, the cock V is opened. When the pressure in pipes P P is established cocks V V are closed and arranged to be opened by the action of the magnets m m or either, as the case may be, the wires 1 and 2 being arranged to be closed by a predetermined movement of the pressure-gages, due to a decrease of pressure in the pipes, or either of them, as would be the case it the valves K K K K, or either of them, were opened or a leak occurs. The closing of either of said circuits turns the water from the main P into the respective pipe and announces the fact on the electric gong, and indicates where the alarm originates on the annunciator A.

A tank of water or carbonic-acid gas may be substituted forthe water-supply shown.

What I claim is 1. The combination, with pipes arranged to conduct water through a building and provided with valves which open by heat, of an electric circuit and automatic devices adapted to indicate the pressure in said pipes, and to make operative said electric circuit when the pressure in said pipes, or either of them, falls below a predetermined degree, substantially as set forth.

Wires w to can thus be closed (Shown in dotted lines, with the 2. The combination, with a distributeradapted for fire-extinguishing purposes, of a plate closing the outlet thereof, a support having a nut secured thereto by easily-fusible solder, and a screw passing through said nut and adapted to secure said plate over the outlet of 5 5 the distributer, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the distributer andthe support, of the nut 0, screw m, and plates at n.

4. The combination, with a distributer adapted for, fire-extinguishing purposes, of a clamp or support which clasps the distributer, and a device for closing the outlet of the distributer, the said device being held in position bybeing pipe, of a device for closing the opening therein, a clamp which clasps said pipe, and which is provided with a nut secured thereto by easily-fusible alloy, and a screw which secures said device over the opening in the pipe, substantially as described.

7. A distributing-pipe ot' a fire-extinguishing system, provided with openings for the discharge of the extinguishing-fluid, combined with devices for closing said openings, supports having nuts secured thereto by easily-fusible alloy, and screws passing through said nuts and holding said closing devices over the open- 0 ings in the pipe, substantially as set forth.

CHARLES E. BUELL.

Witnesses:

JOSEPH W. BUELL, GEO. M. LOCKWOOD.

5 secured to the clamp or support by an easily- 

